Your guide to adventuring on bike in Edmonton

By Cynthia Wandler

It's a thrilling time to be a cyclist in Edmonton – with the completion of the Downtown Bike Network, an outdoor velodrome and miles of river valley trails, there are no shortage of adventures waiting for you. Here's your guide to the trails, clubs and services available to Edmonton bikers in any season. [Photo credit: iStock]

With amazing sights and expansive trails, it's never been a better time to be a cyclist in Edmonton. Here are just a few of the urban trails you need to check out.

• The Edmonton River Valley contains more than 160 kilometres of mixed use trails. With views of the river, woods and downtown, it's a unique way to enjoy the city. “River Valley trails are Edmonton's favourite place to ride – especially since the new Terwillegar Park Footbridge has opened, linking communities all the way to the Anthony Henday West bike bridge, below the freeway,” says Alan Schietzsch, past president of the Edmonton Bicycle and Touring Club and the Alberta Bicycle Association.

• The city has numerous beautiful bike trails, but a favorite for Edmonton mountain biking enthusiast John Wilson is Gold Bar Park. “It has good connectivity to other great trails and it has lots of ups and downs with tight turns, some technical. But it’s still rideable for almost any skill level,” he says. And Edmonton’s cycling trails aren’t just for warm-weather conditions – fat biking is becoming increasingly popular in the city during the winter.

• Edmonton’s Downtown Bike Network, with its nearly eight kilometres of roadways, paths and bike lanes, launched in 2017. Organizers behind the network developed the system as a safe, affordable method of getting around – and one that is eco-conscious and promotes fitness.

• Another unique offering for Edmonton cyclists is the outdoor Argyll Velodrome. First constructed in 1978, it has been resurfaced over the years and provides a 333.33 meter concrete oval track. Watch for the city’s first indoor velodrome too, scheduled to open in 2020 at Coronation Park.

• Coffee Outside is one of Edmonton's casual gatherings of cyclists, meeting year-round at Constable Ezio Faraone Park to socialize and talk all-things-bike. Connect on Twitter at @coffee_outside or stop by the park Friday mornings between 7 to 9 a.m.

• The Edmonton Bicycle Commuters Society provides services such as youth workshops, bike and bike rack rentals and adapted bike loans for children with special needs.

• Other ways to connect with fellow riders are through Edmonton-based cycling clubs catering to specific kinds of cycling, such as the Edmonton Road and Track Club, the Edmonton Mountain Bike Alliance, Velocity Cycling Club and the Edmonton Bicycle and Touring Club.

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More fun ways to get outdoors in Edmonton:

• Food on the go: Your guide to Edmonton food trucks
• 16 Edmonton festivals to keep summer moving
• Top 10 Edmonton patios you can't miss out on

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• Run by the Edmonton Bicycle Commuters Society, BikeWorks has north and south locations. This program sees volunteers teaching cyclists how to maintain and repair their bikes, with access to training and tools on-site. They also sell new and used parts, as well as used bikes starting at $10.

• Western Cycle and United Cycle are two of the longest-standing retail bike stores in Edmonton, both locally-owned. Other places to check out include Pedalhead Bicycle Works, Hardcore Bikes and Giant Bicycles. Revolution Cycle houses the city’s largest selection of bikes and is a major sponsor of the area’s Tour de l’Alberta, a one-day cycling tour that has been happening for more than 20 years and sees more than 1,000 cyclists participating annually.

In addition to the exercise, there are multiple year-round advantages for Edmontonians to get on their bicycles – cheaper transportation costs, no traffic jams and refreshing access to nature. There's never been a better time to be a cyclist in Edmonton – so get on your bike and get out there!